To clarify the fact that the utterance of “I divorce you” thrice at the same time is exactly like when a football player scores a goal and the fan shouting “goal, goal, goal” in excitement, yet it doesn’t mean there’s been three goals, it’s only counted as one.
The fact that the whole triple talaq concept was blown out of proportion by our fearless political leaders, who care about Muslims more than people from any other religion in India was a mere publicity stunt, however, the triple talaq was/is used by uneducated minorities who have never read the Quran in their life, if they did, they would know the laws of a divorce.
It involves consoling by the parents/elders in the family after the first utterance of the words “I Divorce you”, with 3 months of time for reconciliation, if nothing works between the couple, and the words “I divorce you” is uttered again, that’s counted as the second divorce which then, accompanies couples therapy via elders in the community and again 3 months of time to reconcile, and if they cannot live with each other after all that, and the same words are uttered again, that finalizes the divorce and the marriage contract comes to an end.
This also, includes other exceptions and laws such as:
The Quran establishes two further means to avoid hasty divorces:
For a menstruating woman, Al-Baqarah 2:228 prescribes the waiting (Iddah) period before the divorce is finalized, as three monthly periods.
Similarly, for a non-menstruating woman, At-Talaq 65:4 prescribes the waiting period. This is to give the husband time to reconsider his decision.
The husband can revoke the repudiation at any time during the waiting period (‘iddah) which lasts three full menstrual cycles.
The waiting period is intended to give the couple an opportunity for reconciliation, and also a means to ensure that the wife is not pregnant. Resumption of sexual relations automatically retracts the repudiation.
The wife retains all her rights during the waiting period.
The divorce becomes final when the waiting period expires. This is called a “minor” divorce (al-baynuna al-sughra) and the couple can remarry. If the husband repudiates his wife for the third time, it triggers a “major” divorce (al-baynuna al-kubra), after which the couple cannot remarry.
Making the third pronouncement irrevocable prevents the husband from using repeated declarations and revocations of divorce as a means of pressuring his wife into making financial concessions in order to “purchase her freedom”.
It also acts as a deterrent to rash repudiations.
As always, these issues can be avoided by skipping the middle-men, the gurus, the saints, the moulvis and by going straight to the scriptures, read it in the language you understand, increase your knowledge and do the right thing.
Because, Knowledge is power!